Conventional rinse conditioners comprise cationic-fatty alcohol emulsion systems which tend to oil and grease the hair. The cationic quaternary compounds may have a hydrophobic group or groups such as lauryl, cetyl, stearyl or benzyl attached to the nitrogen atom or may have a less hydrophobic group such as a polyoxypropylene amido alkyl radical of 3 to 60 propylene oxide groups attached to the nitrogen atom as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,591. These hair substantive cationics are used to emulsify oils or fatty substances such as fatty alcohols, amides or glycols to enhance the wet and dry combing properties of the cationic. Unfortunately, they provide conditioning of an oily or fatty nature that leaves a dulling effect on the hair.
The prior art also discloses other hair conditioning compositions containing conventional hydrophobic quaternary ammonium compounds containing a higher alkyl or alkenyl group of more than eight carbon atoms, usually 16-18 carbon atoms, together with resins such as PVP/VA copolymers in hair setting compositions. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3.144,391 shows hair setting compositions containing water insoluble copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone with vinyl esters of fatty acids such as a copolymer of vinyl acetate and vinyl pyrrolidone (40:60 to 85:15) and a minor proportion of a cationic surfactant containing a hydrocarbon radical of at least 8 carbon atoms and ethyl alcohol. U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,141, too, discloses a method of hair conditioning by applying an aqueous setting solution comprising a disulfide compound containing a nitrogen atom, a PVP/VA copolymer and a minor proportion of a quaternary ammonium compound such as trimethyl cetyl ammonium bromide (column 6 lines 15-30). Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,383 discloses hair setting lacquers or lotions comprising dithioether compounds for reducing the oily appearance of the hair in combination with a cosmetic resin such as PVP/VA copolymers (column 3 lines 53-54) and quaternary ammonium compounds (column 4 lines 7 and 52-54) in an aqueous, alcoholic, or hydroalcoholic solution. However, this group of patents relates primarily to hair setting solutions containing the PVP/VA copolymer as the film-forming agent, not to hair rinse conditioners which give the hair superior dry feel and high luster properties.
The prior art also discloses water-soluble quaternary ammonium compounds as a skin substantive emollient in cosmetic products, e.g., hair styling gels shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,766,267 and 3,855,290 which further include a carboxylated vinyl polymer. On the other hand, said water-soluble quaternary ammonium compounds have been used as a conditioning agent in hair rinses containing a lubricant such as a higher fatty alcohol as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,155,591. But, no PVP/VA copolymer or other quaternary compound is disclosed in this group of compositions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,220,168 and 4,374,125 disclose, respectively, a moisture control hair spray composition containing PVP/VA copolymers as an optional ingredient and a moisture stabilizing conditioner containing a quaternary ammonium salt conditioner as an optional ingredient.
However, none of the foregoing patents discloses a hair conditioning composition having dry feel and high hair luster properties comprising the ternary mixture of a PVP/VA copolymer, one or more hydrophilic cationic quaternary ammonium compounds and a water soluble nonionic cellulose polymer in an aqueous medium wherein said quaternary compound is present in the prescribed proportion to the PVP/VA copolymer.